On October 5, 2017, in Kalispell, The Montana land Reliance (MLR) will host the 7th annual Flathead Valley Agricultural Forum (Forum). Starting at 8:00 AM and held at Flathead Valley Community College (FVCC), Arts and Technology Building, the day program is also sponsored by the FVCC Ag Program.

The title of the Forum will be "How Can Agriculture Work Better in the Flathead?" The program will include panel discussions with a diverse number of agri-business professionals and in addition to exploring the many ways agriculture impacts the Flathead Valley community, it will ask what's needed to make agriculture more productive. Panel members will represent conventional agricultural operations, local producers including Community Supported Agriculture, farm-to table, and farm-to cafeteria programs, and businesses that process, package, and distribute local farm products. Panel discussions will also include educators from FVCC, Montana State University Extension, and District #5 Future Farmers of America (FFA)/Vo-Ag, as well as participation from the Kalispell Chamber of Commerce.

MLR is a private land trust that works to develop voluntary conservation easements with private landowners. The mission of MLR is to partner with private landowners to permanently protect agricultural lands, fish and wildlife habitat, and open space.

As the largest fully accredited land trust in the United States, MLR has protected over 990,000 acres of agriculturally, ecologically, and historically important land in Montana, along with over 1,750 miles of stream bank.

The Forum will be welcomed to the entire community at no charge.

For more information about the Forum contact: Mark Schiltz at 837-2178 or mark@mtlandreliance.org.